Police seek help in search for Warm Springs man, missing since March 4
Published 12:57 pm Monday, March 13, 2023
- Lee Johnson
A Warm Springs man has been missing for 10 days, and police are seeking the public’s help in finding him.
Lee Johnson, a 67-year-old Native American man, left his home on Jackson Trail Road at 10 a.m. on March 4.
He was last seen driving a white 2013 Toyota Tacoma with a gray canopy heading in the direction of Indian Park — a campground on the reservation — when he went missing, the Warm Springs Police Department said on its Facebook page.
Johnson was on his way to cut wood on March 4 but was only supposed to be gone for a few hours, police said. He had plans that day to meet family at the Indian Head Casino.
Police said cellphone notifications on March 5 indicate Johnson could be in the area of Culver, Prineville or Terrebonne.
Johnson’s truck was found in the Upper Seekseequa area of the reservation on March 7. Multiple regional search and rescue teams have joined in the search of this area.
Local police, firefighters, natural resources and search and rescue employees have searched for Johnson, the department said. On Thursday, authorities used drones and police dogs in the search for Johnson in the Seekseequa area. Snowy conditions prompted authorities to cancel a search scheduled Friday.
Police describe Johnson as a brown-eyed, gray-haired man who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and approximately 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing brown boots, tan pants, a light-colored shirt and a black coat.
People with information about Johnson should call 541-553-1171.
Johnson isn’t the first Warm Springs man to go missing on the reservation within the past year.
Lewis Selam, 71, was last seen at Warm Springs Tribal Credit on March 16, 2022. Authorities found his car stuck in the snow near Mount Jefferson about 20 miles west of Warm Springs. Police called off a search for him on March 31 due to a lack of evidence, according to news reports.